The Battle or the War?
by queen scheherazade
Summary: Old Narnia is losing against Miraz, badly. Miraz sends a peace treaty with some outrageous demands that make Peter...upset. BTW: Story ideas, as well as ideas for chapter titles would be lovely...
1. Outrageous Demands

"**The Battle or the War?"**

**By: Queen Scheherazade**

Rating: M for SLASH and INCEST (Don't like, don't read)

Category: Chronicles of Narnia

Pairing: Peter/Edmund

Summary: Old Narnia is losing against Miraz, badly. Miraz sends a peace treaty with some outrageous demands that make Peter upset.

**Chapter One: Outrageous Demands**

"What?! This is preposterous!" cried the High King of Narnia, not bothering to keep his tones hushed, regardless of the numerous people waiting outside the majestic meeting tent.

Old Narnia had not been doing well in the war for Caspian's throne. Supplies, troops, and morale were all running low.

Guilt plagued Peter. All those men, his troops, left behind to die. He should've stayed. He shouldn't have stormed the castle in the first place. This was his fault.

"This is King Miraz's last offer of peace," the voice of the messenger broke into the eldest Pevensie's thoughts. "Follow the terms laid out in the treaty, and he will spare your…_army_," the Telmarine scoffed.

Peter seriously had to restrain himself from punching him right then and there, the terms of peaceful negotiation be damned to hell.

Instead, he took a deep breath. "Come back this time tomorrow, and we will have an answer for you."

Nodding, the man turned to exit the tent when Peter called after him, "And tell them I wish to remain alone."

The Telmarine exited the tent, leaving Peter to continue to stare in angry disbelief at the manifest sent by the enemy king.

After some time, he folded the parchment, shoving in into his pocket as he stormed out of the tent, angrily waving away all questions and inquiring looks. Not looking anyone in the eye, the Magnificent King stalked away into the forest.

Susan called out to him, and Lucy tried to follow him, but was stopped by a firm pale hand on her shoulder.

"I've got this one, Lu…"

The sisters nodded and watched as Edmund strode into the forest after his brother, headed for a secret place, of which only the two knew, where he knew he would find his distressed brother.

When Edmund finally came upon the glade, he saw his brother sitting tense and irate on a rock by the stream.

He walked quietly up behind his golden-haired brother, gently looping his arms loosely around Peter's neck and shoulders, nuzzling his hair. "What is it Peter? What does Miraz want? What could be so terrible that we need cause everyone all this worry?"

Peter's eyes had remained clenched tight since his brother's approach; he didn't want him to see the anguish and fear in them.

Peter reached out suddenly and grasped his brother's hand, hard, but not enough to hurt. He pulled the pale fingers and pressed them to his lips for a long moment. He felt a sob building in his chest and dropped Edmund's hand, turning his body away from his brother.

Edmund's heart clenched to see his glorious strong brother in such obvious pain, but not knowing the source of if.

He went and knelt before his brother, his king, pulling Peter's hand away from his face. He peered into the other king's face, pushed back his golden hair from his tan forehead, looked deep into his eyes, and asked again, quietly, "What is it he wants Peter?"

With a cry of anguish and frustration, Peter threw off his brother's gentle touch.

Standing abruptly, he yelled without looking at his brother, "YOU! He wants you!"

His torso crumpled as the sobs finally came and he sank to his knees, not daring to look at his brother's face.


	2. What Does This Mean?

"**The Battle or the War?"**

**By: Queen Scheherazade**

Rating: M for SLASH and INCEST (Don't like, don't read)

Category: Chronicles of Narnia

Pairing: Peter/Edmund

Summary: Old Narnia is losing against Miraz, badly. Miraz sends a peace treaty with some outrageous demands that make Peter upset.

**Chapter Two: What Does This Mean?**

The Just King saw his brother, his golden, strong, fearless brother, crumple to the ground. He shook his raven hair out of his eyes and chuckled. This must be a joke of his brother's; payback for the numerous pranks played upon him by his younger brother. A stress-reliever, or something.

Peter's head snapped up from his chest. "How can you laugh?!" he yelled at his brother, the tears choking off the anger.

Edmund walked hesitantly toward his broken brother. He placed a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. "Breathe, Pete. Breathe, and explain what you mean. He wants _me_? I don't understand…"

Peter took a deep breath and nodded, wiping his face on his tunic. He motioned for Edmund to have a seat beside him on the soft mossy floor of their glade, their special place.

They sat in silence for a few long moments. Edmund was still confused, but he knew better than to press Peter. The golden knight was teetering on the edge of a precipice, and one small thing could send him hurtling to its depths, never to return quite the same as before.

Edmund rested his head on Peter's shoulder, waiting, not speaking, not looking at his brother, just waiting. Waiting for Peter to be ready.

Peter put his hand on his brother's head, ruffling his fingers through the raven hair, breathing in the scent of his world. For the other boy was the only thing that mattered anymore. This boy, and his people, his Narnians, but now he had failed them.

"It…the treaty…it says…" Peter managed to stammer angrily as he pulled the wrinkled parchment from his pocket. He cleared his throat, throwing a sideways glance at his brother. With a reassuring nod from Edmund to spur him on, he went on, "It says here…well, essentially…I'll just read what the bastard wrote…"

_To Peter, supposed "High King" of Old Narnia_

Edmund's head snapped up, his eyes icy steel at Miraz's disrespect for his brother's title.

Peter felt a small smile creep onto his face at his brother's indignant attitude. It soon vanished as his eyes returned to the reviled documents in his tanned hands.

_To save time, I will cut to the chase and skip all the official jargon, for to be frank; your "army" has little time left to spare. Besides, it's really the terms of a treaty that matter at all, isn't it?_

Edmund scoffed at the man's complete disregard for process and procedure. He shifted his weight impatiently, not yet seeing Peter's reason for such anger, aside from the fact that Miraz was a disrespectful pig.

_Aside from the obvious, that your army surrenders, there is one other item I wish to possess. After waging battle against your army for some time, I couldn't help but notice a certain gem that I simply __must__ add to my collection. A certain tall, lean, beautiful, raven haired-_

Peter's voice caught and he couldn't continue. He stood, throwing the document forcefully to the glade floor, and walked several paces away, leaving Edmund to pick up the parchment and continue reading-

_raven haired knight. Your brother and fellow "king" I assume. Send him to me and your pitiful army will be spared. Consider this a reprieve granted by the Gods. No promises will be made if you choose not to comply with these terms._

_ Best of Luck,_

_ Miraz, __King__ of Narnia_

Disgusted by the smug demeanor of the enemy tyrant, the Just King looked up from the treaty and looked toward his brother's turned back.

"So…so, what does this mean-"

"It-"

"My _High King_," Edmund said solemnly, kneeling before his brother.


	3. Beauty in the Breakdown

"**The Battle or the War?"**

**By: Queen Scheherazade**

**A/N:**I suck. I am so über aware of this fact. And I'm reallyreallyreally sorry. Forgive me lovers? Anyway, I worked really hard on this chapter, and I'm really proud of it, so I hope you enjoy it. =)

But first…Review Shoutouts!

Thank you to Everyone who reviewed. You all are splendid and so encouraging. *Hearts*

**LunalitSol**: Wow…_Thank_ _You_. Really, Wow.

**LadyPeneloSolidor**: I hope you enjoy it a fourth now!

**Ikiinii**: Glad I managed to convert you =)

**McCoy's Girl**: Why do you hate to admit that Edmund is Fine? Silly!

**Wildfire2**: Edmund suffering…We shall see, won't we? ;)

**Oximore**: I know right? He was totally perving.

**Maddie and Lorna**: Ye of little faith! See, I _am_ finishing it.

Now, I don't own it, etc. etc. now Onward!

**Chapter Three:**

"Ed!" Peter practically spluttered, starring at his brother. "What are you doing?"

He had expected a reaction, for one was obviously called for, but not this. Whatever "this" was…

Peter moved forward to place his hand on Edmund's hair, rumpling it gently. He spoke softly. "Ed…"

The voice that answered him could not be more of a contrast to his tender tone; it was straight-forward and business-like, lacking any real emotion other than that of duty, honor, and loyalty.

"My High King, I kneel before you as but a humble and loyal subject, pliant and submissive to the will of Narnia through you, her High King. To protect her people from Miraz

I must go."

These final three words seemed to echo loudly in Peter's mind, for as he said them, Edmund, still kneeling, drew his sword from his side and placed it, point down, into the soft turf of the glade. His eyes locked with Peter's for the slightest of seconds, before he lowered his head into a further bow than before.

Peter stood there for a moment, stunned.

"Ed! You can't be serious," he exclaimed, disbelief shading his voice.

No response.

"Ed!...Ed! Look at me!" Desperation now.

"_Look_ at me."

He dropped to his knees in front of his brother. He knocked the sword between them aside and took Edmund's face in his hands, a perfect mirror image of their previous position of comforting. Peter's emotions, however, were still running just as high, but more fear than anger mixed with his anxiety now.

His fingers traced softly over Edmund's features, drinking him in; his cheekbones, his nose, his lips, his eyelashes.

"_So_…_beautiful_…" he whispered reverently, almost to himself.

Edmund had once compared Peter to the sun, but Peter knew he was wrong.

Edmund was the sun. The center of Peter's universe. With Edmund at his side, even the impossible felt plausible.

Edmund watched his trance-like brother with a steady gaze.

"Peter…" he began softly.

"Shhh…Please…don't speak," Peter whispered, covering Edmund's lips with his thumb.

The two lovers gazed into each other's eyes, and time ceased to exist. There was no Caspian, no Miraz, no war.

After several moments, the Just King again tried to breach the silence. "We shou-" but was cut off by an aggravated groan.

"_When_ will you learn to do as you're told?"

And then there was no room for words, as two pairs of lips melded together, binding the two kings as one.

But Edmund sensed something more than passion in Peter's kisses: desperation. He felt it in the way that Peter clung to his shoulders, the way he wrapped his arms around Edmund's neck, as if trying to draw him as close as possible, and not let him go.

Edmund groaned in both sexual and internal frustration, and pulled away from Peter, rising to his feet, and began pacing around the glade.

Peter frowned at him in confusion and indignation. "Ed…" he practically growled. He rose, and stalked over to his lover, more than ready to push him up against a tree trunk and have him then and there. He slunk up behind his brother, slid his arms around Edmund's waist, and attempted to nibble his neck.

Exasperated, Edmund threw off his brother's embrace crying, "Stop! Peter, stop it. I _want_ you, but we can't _do_ this!"

"_Do_ _what_, Ed? We were married here in Narnia! We were on our way to growing old together! I don't _really_ think Aslan will give a flying fig if we-"

"We have a duty to our _people_ Peter! We can't go putting our relationship ahead of Narnia!"

"Wait, Ed, what are you ta-"

"_Me_! Me. I have to go to Miraz. It's the only way."

"No. Absolutely not. We need your skills here if we have any chance of-"

"But you wouldn't _need_ to fight anymore if I go. I could end this bloodshed."

"If you think I'm going to let you-"

"You _must_, Peter! Think of the girls, Pete," he pleaded, gesturing back in the direction of the Narnian camp. "They are in more danger all the time, and-"

"What about you? _You'd_ be in danger! I'm not going to send you off to be part of some tyrant's…_collection_," he scoffed, disgust heavy on his tongue.

Changing tactics, Peter pleaded. "You keep me grounded, Ed. I'm just so _angry_ lately." At this point, they stood face to face, having been mere inches apart in their shouting match. Peter's hands clutched his brother's shoulders, as if he wanted to shake some sense into him.

Peter slowly reached up to brush a lock of hair from Edmund's forehead. His fingers trailed to the back of his lover's neck, while his other hand left its station at the shoulder to rest lightly on a hip.

"I need you here with me. We need each other." Peter lowered his face closer to Edmund's.

"_You know this_."

Each syllable enunciated, whispered in the shell of a pale ear.

And Edmund is gone.

Edmund holds him as breathing slows, tanned back to pale chest.

Shirts were abandoned as lips found lips, and lips found neck, and lips found collarbone.

Fingers found hair, and fingers found hips, and fingers found hems, and then chest found chest, heartbeat found heartbeat.

It was passion, it was love, and for Peter, it was full of relief.

Forehead found forehead, and Peter's touch found Edmund's heart. Brown gazed into blue.

"I love you," he whispers.

"As I love you," the Just one replies, just as tenderly.

At some point, they sink to the ground, the mossy turf kind to their bare skin.

As much as he wants to, Edmund can't give Peter what he really wants.

"Not now Pete. We should be getting back…"

The only answer he receives is a throaty growl as Peter resumes his plunderous attack on the raven's mouth.

And now they are here, seated back to front, against a tree, Peter momentarily satisfied, having left several dark love marks on his lover's pale skin.

Peter smiled, basking in the glow of their love, cradled in Edmund's embrace.

"Sometimes I feel as though everyone has abandoned me…"

Edmund raised his head from his light tracings of Peter's shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Everyone. Father. My friends. Aslan… But I'll always have you, won't I, Ed? Promise me you'll never leave."

Edmund paused.

Peter tilted his head back to look at his lover, upside-down or not.

"Promise me."

"I promise," Edmund said quietly, with a slight half smile.

Peter's face lit up with a grin.

"Say it again," he said, relishing it, as he lowered his head and nuzzled further into Edmund's embrace.

From his position Peter could not see Edmund's face as his raven-haired knight whispered, "I promise that I will never leave you."

A single tear fell.

**A/N:** So there it is! I really hope you liked it. Too much fluff? Please review!

Props for the LWW movie quote?

And just one more note, you might be interested to learn, that people who are lying don't speak using contractions because they think it makes them sound more believable… *eye brow wiggle?* =)

Peace and love,

Scheherazade

P.S. Go read RotD? And update for that story may be coming soonish as well. Hurray initiative! =)


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